Uta No Hoshi: Song of the Stars
by The Sunsinger
Summary: Third in the 'Tales of the Heavens', Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stop fighting the pull of the heavens. Sequel to Taiyou no Chishiki. Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the beta AND all three of the original chapters are updated, with four more to come!
1. My Mate

Note: Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the quick and lovely beta.

Chapter 1: My Mate

"SIT!"

Inuyasha crashed into the ground, by the fire. The flames flickered on his tangled white hair. Miroku looked up from the other side of the fire at Kagome.

"What was that for?"

"He wouldn't stop twitching. He's been like that for the past three days. What is wrong with you?"

Inuyasha flicked a white furred ear, distractedly. His voice strained and tired. "You… can't… wouldn't understand. I- I- I'm trying to fight something you can't help with. I- I can't explain it to you."

"Why?" Kagome asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged it off and stood up, looking even more distant that usual. "Because you are a human and this, this is a demon situation."

"But Inuyasha if you tell us then maybe we can help." Miroku replied softly.

Finally unable to keep silent from his position next to the fire, Shippou spoke up. "You can't! Yasha is coming of age. That's his demon heritage, he's becoming an adult."

Sango frowned. "I see… then it's his first cycle," She sighed. "Kagome, we _can't_ help him. It is demon related. When a demon comes of age, reaching their maturity, they have what we call cycles.

"These are mating cycles. His demon blood will choose the **best** possible mate for him. Do not make a mistake to think that taking a mate is like an animal. It is not so… unsophisticated as that. Demons do not just have relationships with just anyone. Their blood chooses the **best mate**, the demon or _human_ to satisfy all the needs of a particular demon.

"That means his blood will choose the best person to care for him and for him to care for, the best person to teach him and learn from him, the best person to help him and be helped by him. This is a great chance and opportunity for him, Kagome. It is unlikely that his first cycle will bring him his lifemate but it is possible. In that case, it would be the demon or human he will stay with for the rest of his or their life.

"Sesshomaru was born of a cycle, his mother was not the Inutaichou's life mate. Inuyasha _was_ born of his father's lifemate, and his father chose to defend his mother until their deaths. So as you see, it is not a choice, it is as the blood wills. It is not guided by the choices of the person, which means… that Inuyasha's mate for this cycle might not be you, no matter how Inuyasha feels about you."

"No…" Kagome cried appalled.

"Yes, and lately he's been nervous and agitated, so he feels the Call. Inuyasha you must follow it." Sango smiled encouragingly.

"**I CAN'T**!" Inuyasha screamed.

"So you know who is your partner this cycle?" Sango asked quietly.

"Yes," Inuyasha nodded, sinking to his haunches. "This cycle and every cycle. If I go to him, I will join him… permanently.

"Then you need to go to him, Inuyasha!" Shippou yelled. "My father said that we must follow the Mate's Call, otherwise the pain!"

"I! CAN'T!" Inuyasha screamed again, "First, because it isn't Kagome and I can't… hurt her like that. Second, if you knew who it was, you would hate me."

Miroku raised on eyebrow, "Unless it is Naraku, you shouldn't worry about that and if it is Naraku, then we know you didn't choose him."

"It is not Naraku. That vile spider half breed is not worthy of joining with a member of the Inu clan." Sesshomaru entered the camp, kneeling beside Inuyasha. One hand on his brother's neck "You are such a foolish cub, but it is partially my fault, in my arrogance I did not teach you however, do you remember what I told you the last time I saw you? That this would not end, that you have to come to me for relief and instead I find you here, half dead from denying what you are."

Inuyahsa lowered his head, his voice scratchy, "And what am I?"

"My mate."


	2. Control Issues

Note: Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the quick and lovely beta.

Chapter 2: Control Issues

Inuyasha breathed in the intoxicating scent. It was the small of home. It was the smell of safety and protection. It made him feel so safe, but the last time he felt this safe, he fell. He fell without being caught and was abandoned. He can't trust this, he can never trust this. With a growl, he shoved that safety away. "No."

"Inuyasha."

"No. I can't trust you, you can not be my mate because you are a liar, and you do not care for me. You would rather abandon me than help me. I can't trust you and therefore I refuse to be your mate. Not to mention, you don't want a scrawny diseased hanyou in your life. How displeased you were to find that I didn't die by the time I was ten. Go away, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands. I am nothing to you." Inuyasha turned from him and headed towards a tree. Jumping up, he prepared to sleep.

"You are my mate. I will not leave you. I… regret some of what I said to you before. I… did not know that you would feel the pull. I know now that you feel the same pull, the same desire…" Sesshomaru leapt up and landed on his mate's branch. "I will not abandon you ever again."

"But you did, even though you knew you were my mate, you dropped me like I was nothing but filth and left. Did you ever consider that I was not raised a demon, that I knew nothing but rather than telling me what was going on, you decided to have fun. Was it fun, Great Lord of the Western Lands? Do you like the fact that this pesky filthy demon blood is trying to drive me to your arms while you laugh at the pathetic half breed? Does it make you happy that it's your worthless, wasted little brother? Do you wish you had finished what you start the day you tried to drown me when I was seven?"

Sesshomaru stared at him, eyes wide with the hate in his brother's voice. "I should have taught you, you are correct and yes I am pleased it is you, for you are more than worthy of this Sesshomaru, it may even be this Sesshomaru is not worthy of you."

Inuyasha stared at his brother in amazement. The distant formal language sounded so calm.

"However, this Sesshomaru will never give you up. Never! I forget you were raised by humans with their ideas and so called morals. What I did with you last time was play, I teased you. If I had obeyed Father and took over the raising of you, you would have known this. You would have taken it as a challenge and come after me, to make me pay. We would have then fought without intent to harm and it would have likely culminated in our mating. You would have no foolish human doubts of my feelings for you. Humans have no mates; therefore they do not, can not, and will never understand how profound an effect a mating has on us. How it can shift our perceptions totally around. We are not slaves to our mating instincts but they do guide us.

"I will never abandon you. I will never raise my claws to you in anger, though we may fight from time to time. I will help you in all things. Right now, it's the seeking of the Shikon no Tama. So, we shall seek it."

Inuyasha stared at him, still trembling, before shaking his head and hunching back against the tree, "Tch, whatever."

Sesshomaru stared at him for a moment before reaching up to remove his outer jacket. Slowly, he moved closer to drop it over the younger demon.

"What is this for?"

"To keep you warm tonight. Do not worry. I will guard your rest for tonight." Sesshomaru turned to face outward. He knew that Inuyasha wouldn't refuse the jacket, his instincts wouldn't allow it. He smiled as the mutters grew slower as Inuyasha fell asleep comforted by the scent of his mate. Perhaps his mate had the excuse of ignorance but he didn't. How arrogant was he to ignore all the signs…

/||\\

About ninety years ago

Sesshomaru stopped in shock. That… that half-breed was in his chambers again! He could smell him! Growling Sesshomaru entered and began to systematically search his quarters. Why did the infernal seem to be obsessed with him. Every time he turned around the child was watching him or trying to be near him. A soft sound came from his closet. Opening the door he looked down and saw the child. Asleep. In the corner of his closet, wrapped up in an old robe of Sesshomaru's, his small white ears flicked with the dreams he was having. A moan of fear, small hands clutched the cloth tighter and the fear passed.

It would take so little to just strangle the whelp. Yet, he knew he shouldn't. Sighing, he closed the door. Maybe he would grow out of it.

/||\\

The water foamed as Inuyasha thrashed. Sesshomaru held his half-brother under the water with one slim fingered hand. A shaft of acute pain stabbed through his head and heart, enough to make him release the neck of the child. Looking down, a sudden sense of fear, shame, and anger went through him. Sighing, he grabbed the front of the kimono and pulled the young hanyou from the water. He was not breathing. Sesshomaru shook him gently. Still no breath. Fear raced through him. Gently, he placed the young boy on the ground face down and squeezed gently. Water flowed from his lips. Once. Twice. Three times. Four. Five. Finally a cough and a moan.

The relief that flowed through the older demon surprised him. Silently, he picked the child and took him to his room. When the servants came later to tell him that the child was running a high fever. He nodded. That night, he went after the house fell asleep and lay beside the young demon, who was having a restless night. As soon as he entered, the child settled.

Over the next two weeks of the child's recovery, he kept him close and felt… oddly.

The first time Inuyasha met him after his recovery, the look of sadness and betrayal in his eyes drove Sesshomaru to patrol the outer borders. Yet he still didn't understand what was going on.

/||\\

Now

He had felt the presence behind him for the past three days. The wound he had received from the tiger demon was infected and festering. He would have to find… a pl-

Darkness came.

A fire crackled, two dead rabbits sat on a rock shelf close to him. He moved and felt the bandage on his side. His shoulder and the wound in his side had both been cleaned and bandaged. The cave mouth had been covered with brush to hide him. He was hidden, safe, and provided for. Who? Sesshomaru sniffed, and noticed a scrap of red cloth.

Why would Inuyasha save him?

The sun was rising when the demon hunter woke up. She stood and stretched then turned to face the tree in which the two had spent the night. "I'm up now, and so is Kirara, if you wish to hunt for yourself and your mate then I will stand guard."

Sesshomaru stared at the young woman. Nodding once, he leapt to the ground. "You do know that if he isn't safe, neither are you."

"Of course, Lord."

Sesshomaru flitted to the woods. He would have to hurry before Inuyasha felt him missing. Not too far from the camp, he found a burrow of fat rabbits and a vole nest. Killing them quickly, he headed back to camp. He stood at the base of the tree. Sounds from the rest of the group caused him to turn. The young fox kit was sitting at the fire, eating something from a bowl. Frowning, he moved over and picked up the bowl. It was some form of stewed grains. Handing the bowl to the monk, he dropped the vole into the kits lap.

"Eat that. You are too small."

"He can't eat that, it's raw!" Kagome protested.

Sesshomaru turned cool eyes to her. "He is a demon kit. Blood is necessary to the health of a demon kit. Exactly how old are you, kit?"

Shippou frown, "Ummm just under fifty."

"Then you should be healthier than this. If you have survived this long. Has not Inuyasha fed you properly?"

"Tch, last time I tried, she told me 'sit' four times in a row. At least, she lets him eat meat. Cooked but still meat." Inuyasha muttered.

Sesshomaru turned to the young miko. "Arrogant as ever, I see. Did you ask why they asked for raw meat or did it just offend your sensibilities. Blood and raw meat are necessary for proper development. Now I know why Inuyasha took so long to grow into his maturity. No doubt the other humans he lived with forced him to eat _cooked_ flesh."

Sango groaned. "I told you that Kagome. It's okay for Shippou to eat that stuff as long as you let Inuyasha feed him raw meat from time to time. I thought you said Inuyasha was hunting?"

"I am! But she makes me cook it all the time. When she's not here, I hunt and give him raw meat. He… just won't eat it all the time."

"I told you that raw food is wrong! You can get him infected with all sorts of things! INUYASHA!" Kagome yelled at the younger demon.

"And this is why humans should not raise demon children, nor half demon. Eat the vole, kit. I will make sure you are provided with a proper diet." Sesshomaru shook his head in disgust as he dropped three rabbits on the ground near the fire. He still held one. Its brown furred ears held tightly. He handed it to Inuyasha, "For you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stared at the rabbits. "I love rabbit."

"Which is why I hunted them. Eat, and then we will decide what to do."

Inuyasha grinned, already bringing the rabbit to his mouth. Kagome drew in a breath and then choked. Sesshomaru's hand was clenched around her throat, he drew her forward. "I will find a way to destroy those beads. I know they can be either be taken off by you or I can kill you so that they will fall off. The only reason I have not killed you yet is because he would not be happy with your death, however if that's what it takes to free my mate, then so it will be. Do you understand, foolish child?"

Kagome nodded, tears of pain falling from her eyes. She struggled to look beyond Sesshomaru and whined. Inuyasha stood there, blood on his mouth, staring at them. He looked down at the half eaten rabbit then defiantly raised it to his lips again. Kagome closed her eyes, to see him do that were… it was like him rejecting her all over again. A pleased sound came from Sesshomaru's throat. Abruptly, he let her go. She collapsed unable to speak because of the pain in her throat. Sesshomaru moved closer and raised one hand to brush Inuyasha's bangs back.

Miroku moved to help Kagome up. "Sango… isn't Lord Sesshomaru acting… strange?"

"No, he's acting like a mated demon. Miroku, did you see his face when Inuyasha called him a liar? Everything Lord Sesshomaru done and said so far has been the truth because he knows Inuyasha thinks him a liar. Remember, he's Inuyasha's mate. That means he's exactly what Inuyasha needs. Since Yasha think he's a liar, he must tell the truth. And Kagome, I can't believe you would attack Inuyasha for eating raw flesh. I told you before that all demons need raw flesh. Do you think I don't let Kirara hunt? Of course I do. And Shippou… he's a demon child; he needs raw meat more than most. I'll make some stew for us, then Kagome we need to talk. I do not think Sesshomaru will allow you to live with control over his mate."


	3. Proof

Note: Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the quick and lovely beta.

Chapter 3: Proof

Shippou stared at the groups. On the right sat Sesshomaru who was watching Inuyasha. On the other side was Sango and Miroku. Sango told him not to eat the stew but rather the vole. He didn't want to but the look on Lord Sesshomaru's face was scary. Strangely, the minute he bit into it, it was like… the most perfect food ever. He had finished it in minutes, and Inuyasha had smiled at him. To the left sat Kagome, and she was so sad. Shippou knew he should have done something but Sesshomaru was so much more powerful than he. Frowning, he stared at the fire again.

"Shippou, can you come here please?" Sango called.

Shippou stood up, skirting the area where the brothers sat and headed over to Sango. She had some books out and was looking at them. She reached in her pack and took out a knotted rope. Carefully, she wrapped it around him, laid it against him, measured him in many ways. She noted the measurements on a page and sighed. "I'm sorry, Shippou. Lord Sesshomaru is right. You should be taller now but you aren't. I've let the hunt for the jewel shards and to save my brother's life consume me. Since other than Inuyasha, I have the most knowledge of demons in our group, I should have been monitoring you better.

"From now on, I need you to not eat what we eat. When Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, or Kirara go out hunting, you need to go. You need to learn to hunt and you need to re-learn your taste for flesh. You've not grown one bit in the time you've been with us and at fifty, you should be eating your own weight in flesh every three days."

Kagome croaked from the other side.

Miroku looked at her then back to Sango. "Really? The lack of raw flesh has that much effect on him?"

"Yes, the raw flesh powers their systems. Without it, Shippou won't grow up properly, and he's already weaker than other demons his age. He should be beyond the minor foxfire magics."

"I see."

"But do you, miko?" Sesshomaru asked from the other side of the fire. "Do you see how great a mistake you hold a demon to? You use those beads on my mate to make him conform to human ideals, he is a demon. True a hanyou but still he is a demon. He needs raw flesh. He is weaker with you because of what you force him into do. Not to mention, you tend to abuse the power those beads give you. How many times have you brought him to the ground simply because he disagreed with you, or did something you did not like? I understand that they were given to you to keep him from hurting you but how is not obeying you hurting you? How many times has he sought to protect you only to be brought down by these beads? In truth, having seen him in his feral form, I understand such power inhibitors. However, such power inhibitors would not have been necessary if he had more control. Raw flesh, gives him control. The taste of it empowers his body and his demon mind. He would not be out of control, if you did not insist on food consisting totally of cooked materials. You can not apply human standards and needs to demon.

"Shippou, we will hunt tonight, you will unlearn all the idiocy this so called miko instilled in you."

Shippou stared at the lord and whimpered.

Inuyasha turned to his mate and chuckled. "Sesshomaru, stop scaring them. And Shippou, don't worry, I'll be along with ya to keep the big bad Western lord from being an idiot."

"And who's gonna protect you?" Shippou shot back.

"Why, ya brat!" Inuyasha moved closer and hit him across the head.

Kagome's eyes widened and she tried to speak.

A hand gently wrapped itself around her mouth. "You need to learn your place, _miko_. They do not need you to always interfere in their lives. That blow did not hurt the kit. What they are doing is no more than most siblings do, they play fight. Inuyasha means him no harm and the kit takes no harm. Instead the kit appeals to you to fight his battles and becomes weak. If you ever interfere in Inuyasha's raising of his foster again, I will destroy your capacity to speak. Is that clear?"

She nodded the spoke creakily, "I've never done that to my brother."

"You are human and you are female. Not to mention, this isn't your time." Sesshomaru pointed out.

Kagome nodded and jumped as Sesshomaru moved quickly back to his position on the other side of the fire.

Shippou watched him carefully. "Inuyasha, what's a foster?"

"Eh? Ummm, it's sorta means that I'm taking care of you. I could have found you a den of fox demons and left you there. If I had then they would be fostering you. It's when you go to live with someone who isn't your parents. Both demons and humans use it, for mostly the same purposes. If you know your enemy holds your child, will you attack them?"

"Oh."

"Sometimes it is used to bring closer ties to different tribes, Shippou." Sango replied. "If children of warring tribes work together, live together, play together then when they come into a powerful position, maybe they won't go to war with each other."

"And sometimes it is used to bind families, if two children are foster sibs they tend to be friends for life and if not friends at least family for life. And the bonds of family are greater than that of friends." Miroku pointed out softly.

"Indeed, another use is when people arrange a marriage, it is not unusual for them to raise the children together so that they grow up knowing each other and are prepared to marry each other." Sesshomaru pointed out, eyes fixed on Inuyasha.

"Tch!"

"Father was smarter than we gave him credit for."

"It didn't work, did it?"

"True, but that was because I was jealous. Inuyasha," Sesshomaru moved closer to him, one clawed hand brushing back the thick white hair, leaning close to whisper, "how would you feel if suddenly I went on and on about how wonderful Shippou was? How beautiful he was? How strong and intelligent he would be? Imagine that for all your life, I had focused on you alone, on how pleased you make me, how happy you make me, then suddenly I went on about how pleased and happy Shippou makes me?"

Inuyasha growled, red bleeding into his eyes. Sesshomaru chuckled and pulled Inuyasha closer. "He is a good kit but you are my mate. I will take care of him because he is your foster and you obviously care for the little fox. But what we are talking about is what Father did. And I was jealous. I know _now_ that Father wanted me to have a good impression of you so that I would find you fascinating. He was trying to pique my interest. He roused my jealousy. I can only apologize again. What happened, has happened. It is over and done. I have admitted my mistake, is there no room in my Mate's heart for forgiveness? Can he never believe in my love for him?"

Inuyasha turned to face him. "I- I don't know. I mean… I feel like I should but my mind…"

"Is confused with all those humans taught you. So much so that you ignore the stars crying out our destiny to you. You can not hear them because you are shackled to a human." Sesshomaru stared at the subjugation beads and grasped them. "These poison your very being."

Light burst forth from the beads. Inuyasha gasped and tried to push Sesshomaru away, frantically. Yet the older demon refused to let go. The others stared in sick fascination.

"LET GO! SESSHOMARU LET GO! The beads are hurting you!" Inuyasha cried as the sweetish smell of burnt flesh started to rise. Inuyasha pulled back, struggling as the pink light from the beads grew. Sesshomaru's eyes glowed red as he refused to let go of the beads. Smoke rose from his hand as it clenched the beads. Inuyasha moaned in pain as the mandala stretched. Darkness crept up over the palm and towards the back of Sesshomaru's hand. His lips were pulled back from his teeth as he fought the magic of the mandala. His markings flared, creating their own light. The blue moon upon his brow glowed with an eldritch power. In the quiet night, blood sizzled on the beds as it seeped out of the wounded hand.

Sango stared at them and turned to Kagome. "Release the beads, Kagome. He won't stop until they are off."

Kagome trembled as she watched them. She fell to her knees and shook her head.

Sango sighed in defeat and reached for her hirakotsu. There was no way for her to hit Sesshomaru that wouldn't have her hitting Inuyasha as well. She flinched as the light took on a reddish glow, a ripple of violet light flickered around the beads, so similar to Sesshomaru's markings. And still he refused to let go.

Inuyasha stared at him, "Please, my mate, let go. It's hurting you. I- I don't want you to hurt. Let go, for me?"

Sesshomaru growled. "I will never let go of you! I will not let you be enslaved anymore. Years, you were subjected to neglect and abuse. Fifty years, I left you pinned to that tree. Months you have been slaved to that child. I will not let go, I will not be defeated by these… trinkets. I am Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, Mate to Inutaicho Inuyasha, and I will not i_SUBMIT_/i! I can not fail my mate, yet again."

Inuyasha stared at him, golden eyes softening, "You won't. We will find another way, but it hurts. It hurts to see you in such pain. Please stop it. It is burning you, my Sesshomaru."

"release." A quiet voice creaked from the dark. The beads flared once more before flying apart.

Sesshomaru smiled, his burned hand flexing slowly. Inuyasha whimpered and moved closer, his hand gently uncurling his mate's. There were three holes… they were where the beads attempted to burn through the older demon's flesh. Inuyasha whined lowly, eyes reflecting the hurt. Suddenly his head jerked down and ripped a bloody gash in his own hand. He raised it, cupped as blood flooded his hand and he poured the pooled blood into the center of Sesshomaru's own. Sesshomaru did not flinch as it fell to his charred flesh. Steam, clean this time rose as the blood splashed. Slowly the black retreated leaving clean flesh behind. Sesshomaru held his hand over the fire and slowly tipped it out, the blood by this time was black and thin. As it hit the fire, a pungent odor permeated the camp and the flames turned violet. Soon, his hand empty, the fire returned to its normal color.

"Inuyasha, do you need more proof. Your blood would not heal my wound if we were not mated."

"No. No more proof. My heart says yes, my instincts say yes, it's only my mind that is arguing. Soon, it too will likely say yes." Inuyasha muttered tiredly.

"Thus why I will not lie to you. But you are tired, this battle though not of the flesh, has drained you. Sleep and I shall guard you."

"I will not."

"Inuy-"

"Unless you sleep with me. Hold me and give me something to use again my mind which questions all this."

Sango stepped forward. "Both of you rest, we will watch the night."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Shippou, come."

Inuyasha moved towards a tree only to be stopped by Sesshomaru. He led them behind the tree to a thickly wooded area. Pushing aside some branches, it revealed a clear area already piled high with grass, blankets, and furs. Sesshomaru guided the younger two into the area and followed. Careful to arrange the kit against his brother's stomach, he lies behind them and spread his overshirt over all three of them.

"Sleep, you are both safe."

Inuyasha sighed wearily as his eyes closed, his body shutting down at the closeness of his mate and foster and the knowledge that they were truly safe.


	4. Joining the Packs

Note: Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the quick and lovely beta.

Chapter 4: Joining the Packs

Miroku stared at the lightening sky. Dawn had come and in more ways than one. He checked the fire before going over to sit next to Kagome. She murmured as she awoke, brown eyes opened, sadness flickered through them before she sat up.

"Thank you."

Kagome jumped, coughed a little and turned a questioning look at Miroku.

"I mean it Kagome, neither one of them will think to thank you for a while right now. They are too busy with the whole mating instincts going wild. Sango is consumed by the fact that she failed the child of our group. But I noticed it. You let him go. You wanted him and you let him go." Miroku said softly. "So, thank you, Miko Kagome. For releasing the beads. For trusting that Sesshomaru can control him. For realizing he's no longer out of control and has matured. We were so used to who he was, we ignored what he was becoming."

"I…" Kagome croaked, "It still seems wrong. It's his brother… not just that it's not me but it's not even a woman and to top it off it's his brother."

Miroku nodded. "I too am having that problem but I asked Sango and she said that demon genetics work differently. Even though humans and demons can interbreed, when it's just demons, their blood mixes in a different way. They don't have to worry about inbreeding until at least the eighth generation. Even among humans it takes more than three really to see a problem. Plus they are half-brothers so it's not as close as if they were full brothers." Miroku explained, "However, thank you."

"I… Sesshomaru wasn't going to let go."

"He couldn't, Sesshomaru isn't nice or kind but his instincts tell him to protect and love Inuyasha. It doesn't matter what they have gone through before. "

Kagome nodded, "Miroku, was I misusing the beads?"

Miroku frowned. "I think you have misused them a few times but I don't think it was so much that you were doing it to be evil."

"Oh."

Kagome licked her lips and swallowed. "I was wrong." Her voice was still small, "I was wrong to even set the word as 'sit'. He may be a dog demon but he is not a dog. He is a person and I treated him no better than Sesshomaru had. We were both wrong."

"Yes, and I guess it's not just Inuyasha who has changed and grown recently." Miroku smiled at her again, "Now I'm going to make you a special pot of tea. It should help with your throat."

Miroku reached out and hugged her before he went to make the tea.

/||\\

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly. Sesshomaru was still curled up behind him, his one arm over them. It held Tokijin loosely. The warm soft breath of Sesshomaru warmed his neck, against his stomach, he could feel a warm ball of fur that was Shippou. For the first time in days, he was thinking as he used to and not as he had been for the past couple days.

"It is alright, my mate."

Inuyasha shivered as that word flowed through him. The hand dropped the sword and moved to stroke one furred ear.

"This Sesshomaru knows the past couple of weeks have been… disturbing to you but rest assured, that this Sesshomaru is not unhappy with his mate and foster son. This Sesshomaru has much to make up for and asks that you allow him to do so."

Inuyasha nodded. "I… understand but i_that_/i Sesshomaru should know that I am… I need time to t used to it. I won't just be obedient. Or keep calling you 'that Sesshomaru'."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru nodded, "This Sesshomaru… _I_ also wish to thank you, without your acceptance, I would still be lacking an arm."

Inuyasha turned around slowly, lifting Shippou until he lay between then and Inuyasha faced Sesshomaru. "Yeah, about that… how did that happen especially since you only had one last night?"

"I need two arms to protect you so I was given them, when we seal our mating, truly seal it with ceremony and a complete exchange of power, then you will no longer need the sword to shackle your demon blood. You will be able to use it for its purpose, but it will no longer shackle your demon blood. Yet I must warn you, that once we complete the bond, you can never be human again, you will be demon. Your human form will be just that, a form. Just as my inu form is a form. No longer will it be linked to the moon."

Inuyasha shook his head. "That's not a bad thing. But that still doesn't explain how your arm grew back. You lost it in the tomb within my eye."

"Yes, and you returned it to me. Or rather your demon magic did. Even though you have not gone into it, you have released it. You no longer wished to deny it so my magic called it form and since your magic wishes me to have two whole arms to better defend and fight with you, it was healed. This is the power of mates."

Inuyasha nodded. "Mother was Father's mate. If it had been Kagome who was your mate, though I am glad it was not, like Mother was Father's then what would have happened?"

"If that fool, Takemaru hadn't murdered your mother then she would have shared his lifespan, her aging reduced to the same speed as his. This is for only true Mates, not for whomever a demon falls in love with."

Inuyasha sighed, pulling Sesshomaru closer to him, looking down at the sleeping child. "He won't be deprived of the same schooling as I was. You will make sure of it, right?"

"Of course, my Mate."

Shippou turned in his sleep, kicking out. Inuyasha placed one hand on his head and turned him around gently, before tucking him back near his stomach. Sesshomaru smiled at the instinctive movement. "It is still early, sleep more. I'm going to scout. Will you stay here until I get back?"

Inuyasha smirked. "Maybe. No one will steal us from here to the campfire. Remember, we have more than instincts."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru nodded before he stood up and left the culvert.

Inuyasha flicked one ear and curled up around Shippou once more before closing his eyes.

/||\\

Sesshomaru sat at the top of a tree, perched on a branch and letting the air carry all scents to him. In the distance, he could see the demon hunter as she sat beside the fire. Her hirakotsu rested against her back. She poked at the fire listlessly. Suddenly she stood and turned directly towards him. As if she could see him. Jumping from the tip of the tree, he noticed a flash of flame on his right. The cat demon. It looked at him with amusement before it squeezed its eyes shut. Then with an unheard chuckle, it flirted its tails and danced off towards the right flank. Chuckling, he landed next to the campfire.

"Your cat demon has a peculiar sense of humor."

Sango shrugged. "That's Kirara for you. I think it's because she has spent so much time with us. She is over three hundred years old. We found her when they cleaned out a nest of cat demons with the taste for human flesh. She was a kitten but we weren't too sure how old she was. They took her in and that was that, since then she's gotten two more tails.

"From time to time she would disappear. We aren't sure where she went but they took good care of her and she came back. When my father thought I was old enough and the old man who used to be Kirara's partner thought I was ready, they started training her with me. She had gone through some fourteen or fifteen partners, and one day I hope she can spend time with my own children."

"That would explain much. Except how you know so much about the life cycle of demons."

"Kirara isn't the only demon we studied or raised. We got information from other demons as well. My clan… we only hunted those who attacked humans. We did not take on a commission until we researched the area and find out what was true. Did the humans start the fight and call us to punish the demons or did the demon go insane or cruel? My family would never have challenged your father. Not because of his strength but because he was a good ruler who looked out for all his people. Not just the demons, but the humans and hanyous. He often gave us information." Sango paused before smiling softly. "And help. My father met him once, about thirty years ago. He came to us to find out about a dispute that we settled almost a century ago. It was flaring up and he wanted to get some history. My father said that he was so…"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Father had a presence."

"Yes, he did. I knew that he was good. I mean really GOOD. He may not be nice but he was good. He would defend those of his people who needed it. He would sacrifice for them. He wasn't story tale good but real Good. If that makes sense to you."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes."

Sango stood up, checking the fire once more. "I don't want to hold you up if you are going hunting. But Lord Sesshomaru, I feel that I should tell you that you too have some of that presence. It was clouded with anger but since you have come back to claim Inuyasha, it's become more and more clear."

Sesshomaru watched the demon hunter as she moved past the cat demon, who grinned at him cheekily, and tried to wake up the priest and the miko. Thinking over what she had said, he jumped to a tree and started to look for prey.

/||\\

Shippou sat on the back of Kirara, chewing on a bone that had a few bloody strips hanging off it. Growling, Inuyasha dropped back and snatched the bone out of the child's hand before biting hard, cracking the bone before giving it back to the kit. Frowning, he stared at Kagome who was riding behind Shippou quietly. The bruises around her neck turned dark purple, darker than the monk's robes, the same monk who walked between her and Sesshomaru. Gold eyes flicked between the bruises and his brother's two hands. Suddenly remembering last night, he realized exactly what had happened last night.

"So exactly where are we going?" He asked.

Sango shrugged. "Well, I don't really know. I was thinking we could head towards the village so we can rest and if Kagome wants to, she can go back home for a while."

Kagome nodded before she stopped herself. "N-no. We have over half the jewel now. We need to get more of it before Naraku gets them."

Sango paused, looking at Miroku. "If you are sure…"

Kagome nodded. A small smile sprung up. "Yes."

Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru, the younger raising one white brow slowly.

Sesshomaru sighed. "If it is your will, but you are weak against her for asking it."

Inuyasha laughed. "Maybe so, but Sesshomaru… she is my friend. She's just young."

Sesshomaru stared at him.

"Yes, so am I but… something has changed."

"It is the mating instinct, you do not even realize it. Not five minutes ago, you cracked a bone for the kit without thinking about it or breaking your stride. You care for the kit and now see no reason to hide it. You seek to heal the miko, why?"

Inuyasha frowned. "She is my friend."

"And have her actions been friendly towards you?"

"So she's not a great friend but she cares for me. She is really trying hard to help me fit in with human culture because until you got your lordly head out of your ass, I hated not being one thing or another, just a mess of both!"

Sesshomaru stopped, shocked and bowed low. "You are right, that is my fault, my mate and I hope I never make you feel that way again. However, we are talking about why you wish me to heal the miko."

"Because… she is my friend and I don't want her in pain. It's not her fault that we are mated."

"Of course it isn't but she was abusing the magic she had on you."

"I wasn't the best behaved of pups. Not even now. You did worse than that."

"And I was wrong, so why is it okay for her?"

Inuyasha frowned, turning towards his mate, ears flickering. "It's not. It's really not… not for you or for her. But I can forgive you so why can't I forgive her. If I can heal you, why can't I ask healing for her?"

Sesshomaru stepped forward. "I will do as you have ask…if?"

"If?"

"If you let me mark you."

Inuyasha blushed, head down, eyes looking up with a flirtatious twinkle. "You just want to mark me."

Sesshomaru said nothing but started walking again, stopping when a clawed hand tugged at his sleeve.

" 'Ch, fine but on the back of the neck."

Sesshomaru smirked. "Of course my mate." Moving slowly, he moved around behind Inuyasha, his newly regenerated left arm wrapped around the waist of his mate, while the other pulled the neck of the red fire rat robe away from that slime pale neck. He leaned down, allowing his moko moko to flow over Inuyasha shoulder and pressed firm lips to the sweet flesh just below the skull. Fangs pressed against the column of Inuyasha's spinal cord, before the lips parted and warm breath cause him to jump. Four small pinpricks caused him to freeze before he relaxed suddenly. A growl rumbled from Sesshomaru's lips before he pulled away.

"Enough, next time, I wish it to be in private."

Miroku banged his staff on the ground from where the rest of them were standing with their backs turned. "So would we! Now, where are we going again?"

Sesshomaru smirked. "Since you need to rest and recover, we will be going to my castle. Ah-Un should be meeting us by the time we stop at nightfall. While we are there, the miko will be healed."

" 'Ch!"

Sesshomaru moved forward, chuckling at Inuyasha's yelp of surprise as his moko moko teased him.

"Watch the fur, Fluffy."

"Ahhh but I do not control the moko moko, it moves on its own."

Inuyasha snorted and kept walking. Miroku shook his head and held onto Kagome as Kirara set off once again. They were silent during their journey, not the fragile silence of before but rather a happy silence. As the sun approached the zenith, Sesshomaru stopped for a moment, looking at the demon cat, who did nothing but continue to walk ahead. If she was not concerned then perhaps there was nothing to be concerned about. At midday, they stopped and had a small meal of prepared food from last night's dinner. Soon after, they continued on their way, at about two hours before sundown, Kagome held up her hand to request a stop.

"Someone's coming."

Sesshomaru turned to his mate. "I've felt it since before noon, what have you been feeling. Do not try to sniff the air. This is a matter of energy. Who do you think it is?

"I don't know." Inuyasha shrugged.

"Try, my mate. It is in that direction a small ball of energy. Reach for it and tell me who it is?"

Inuyasha signed and closed his eyes resignedly, head tilting to the left before straightening up suddenly. "There is someone there; they've been there for a while, moving back and forth. Fast."

Sesshomaru smiled at his mate. "And who do you think it is?"

Inuyasha frowned. "At that rate, it's probably Kouga. But he doesn't know we were here, does he?"

"Not yet, he can't smell us yet. But if he pays attention to his surroundings, he will be able to feel us soon."

Although they felt his presence running to and fro all that day, he never came closer. Inuyasha frowned as he tracked the wolf demon. Usually by now, he was running over to bother them. Something was keeping him away, hopefully it wouldn't be something they would have to deal with later.


	5. Acceptance

Note: Thanks to DaddysSpecialRequest for the quick and lovely beta.

Chapter 5: Acceptance

Inuyasha woke up slowly, warm all the way through. Shippou lay curled up tightly in a ball against his stomach. Inuyasha tightened his grip gently, trying not to wake the kit. Across him waist and with clawed hand cupping Shippou's head was Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru.

His Mate.

His… Lover if he allows it.

He twitched his ear as he felt something move through the fur near his ear.

"Myouga, that you?"

"Yes Master! It is I!"

"Shhh, get down here so I can talk to you."

"Yes, Master!" Myouga hopped down and stood on Inuyasha arm.

"Myouga, how do I get the pearl out of my right eye?"

"Master, is there a problem, you already received your sword."

"It's not your business, just tell me."

"Very well, Master. You must get to a mirror or clear pool, so that you may stare at your right eye. See it swelling and growing lustrous as a pearl. When it appears to pop out, you merely touch it and it becomes the gateway to your Father's tomb."

"Hmmm, k. Did Father know about this… about me being Sesshomaru's… Mate?"

The flea paled. "He suspected."

"I need… to know more about Demon courtship."

"Yes, Master." Myouga moved closer, "Does Master know that once you have accepted Lord Sesshomaru as your mate that it is permanent. He will never abandon you again, he will always come for you if you are in trouble, and he will never try to kill you again?"

"Yes… but what about the ceremonies, the process, the gifts, the… flirting." Inuyasha grew more and more flushed as he spoke.

"Ah, yes… that too I can help you if you wish Master. First, let's start with intent. To a demon courting is dividing into two methods, each for a specific purpose, the first is for lovers and the second is for mates. Lovers are temporary and a demon may have many before they mate. There is no promise of fidelity nor is there an issue of betrayal. If a lover gets a demon pregnant, they will be considered mates for no less than 5 years, until the child is old enough to not be shielded by its parents.

"Mating is more serious. When you mate, whether it is for the purpose of breeding or whether you are mated in the same way as you and your brother, fidelity is demanded. To cheat on your partner is a sign of disrespect. This you will not have to worry about because you and he are mated by soul. It is forever. Now to little things. How are you set for gifts? You need a Blood gift, a Respect Gift, and a Soul Gift.

Inuyasha listened and let his mind process everything he was learned.

/||\\

Inuyasha walked back to camp holding Shippou close to him. Sesshomaru followed them, one hand close to his sword. Inuyasha crouched down near the banked fire. Golden eyes seemed to be looking somewhere far away. Kagome stared at him before looked at Sango, eyes pleading.

"It's normal, Kagome. He's undergoing the mating process. Right now, he's spent a night with his mate and foster, bonding. His instincts are yelling at him to take Shippou to the Western Castle but at the same time, he's busy searching for the shards. It's pulling him in two directions, especially since he now knows that this isn't good for Shippou. It's the nurturing instinct all demons have. If he doesn't secure Shippou then he's a bad foster parent, if he does go ahead and secure Shippou, he may miss out on a jewel shard.

"Not to mention there is another desire for him to go to his home… and make it his home. It's called a Nesting instinct. He has this need to make sure that their home together is part of him."

Inuyasha raised his head and flashed a fang. "I didn't realize you knew that much about demons, Sango."

"To hunt prey, you must understand prey. To be the best demon hunters we had to be willing to understand demons. Which is another reason that we didn't just hunt random demons. We understood that some demons are helpful and some are kind and some just don't care about us. We know that sometimes it's the humans who start the battles."

Miroku nodded, "Indeed, so what are we going to do?"

"You will head towards the Western Castle, by the time you get there, rooms will have been prepared." Sesshomaru answered.

Inuyasha jumped back startled. "Who says we're going there?! You can't just decide for us."

"Oh Master!" A small voice sighed from atop Inuyasha head.

Sesshomaru stared at his mate. "Why do you persist in fighting me?"

Inuyasha sighed. "You're right. You are just looking out for me but I will not just let you take over my life either, my Sesshomaru."

"Is there a town near by?" Sango asked quickly, "Perhaps there is an inn we can stay at for tonight."

"No, I want you at the Castle."

"Sesshomaru…"

"Tomorrow night is the new moon."

Inuyasha stopped. "You are right. Besides the only town around here is Jaciha. I can't go there."

Sango frowned, "Why not, it's one of the few towns where demons and humans live in peace."

"Inuyasha snorted disgustedly, "And I'm a hanyou. You would think it wouldn't matter but they see me as even worse than the pure human villagers do. To them I'm a freak, they don't mind demons as neighbors but as spouses or lovers?!" Inuyasha gave a bitter laugh.

Sango frowned. "We're going to Jachia."

Shippou looked at her, "Why?"

"Because I'm ashamed of them. Jachia is an important town to my family. Not all our people wanted to hunt demons, so we helped them found a town, Jachia. They were supposed to live in harmony with the local demons and give them no reason to harm anyone. No one should forced to bear a half demon / half human child but there is no reason for them to condemn Inuyasha. I will get an answer from them or they will answer me. Besides, they have a large local market and Inuyasha needs three gifts for Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha nodded. "True." Turning to Sesshomaru who was sitting behind him with hard gold eyes, he laid one hand on Sesshomaru arm, "Mate, give us today to shop and we will spend the night at an inn in town, then tomorrow we will go to your… our castle, our home for the night of the new moon."

Sesshomaru lifted one clawed hand to stroke the overgrown white bangs from his mate's face. "As you wish. Tomorrow, I will send my chariot."

The group nodded before settling down to eat.

/||\\

As they moved closer to the town, Inuyasha had moved closer to his mate's side. Soon they came upon the gates to Jachia. Sesshomaru by this time had Inuyasha's hand in his. He stopped suddenly, causing the younger demon to jerk back.

"Here is where I leave you for tonight. Demon Hunter, no harm better come to my mate or his foster." Pulling his brother tight against his chest, he leaned down to one pricked up ear, "Do you remember what you first called me?"

"Heh, beautiful?"

Sesshomaru chuckled, "The first name."

"Sess."

"Remember that you are the only one to ever call me that and you will forever be the only one."

Inuyasha nodded and stepped back, he moved to where the others waited and together they moved to Jachia without looking back.

Sesshomaru lifted his hand towards his face and noticed some strands of hair caught among his claws. He brought his hand towards his face to get a scent of his beloved before he turned into his dog form and ran off.


End file.
